Slide-rule runners vs. the blinking bar.
Which meaning of Cursor is the original, and which one is the duplicate riding on its name? Cursor (slide rule) came first (the 1600s). Cursor (user interface) arrived in the 1960s. The data below shows which one owns the word now.
Wikipedia pageviews since 2015
Cursor (slide rule)Cursor (user interface)
English Wikipedia pageviews since July 2015 load here.
Duplicate's share of attention
Green line = duplicate's % · above 60 it owns the word · below 40 the original does
The case for each meaning
Sourced definitions, usage stats and quotes
Original · the 1600s
Cursor (slide rule)
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12-mo pageviews—
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Duplicate · the 1960s
Cursor (user interface)
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More duplicated terms
Design & UX
Cursor · Cursor (code editor)Window · Window (computing)Wall · Wall (Facebook)Profile · User profileBreadcrumb · Breadcrumb navigationCarousel · Carousel (UI)Clipboard · Clipboard (computing)Desktop · Desktop (GUI)Dock · Dock (macOS)Drawer · Navigation drawerPaint · Paint (browser rendering)Pane · Pane (UI)Pin · Pin (UI)Sprite · Sprite (computer graphics)Render · Rendering (computer graphics)Ribbon · Ribbon (UI)Hamburger · Hamburger menuToast · Toast notification